US citizen Stephen Hubbard freed by Russia, Trump says
Donald Trump announces that 74-year-old American Stephen Hubbard, jailed by Russia for allegedly fighting for Ukraine, has been freed and is heading home.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Russia agrees to release 74-year-old American citizen Stephen Hubbard following Donald Trump's request.
- Hubbard, a former teacher from Michigan, was sentenced to nearly seven years in a penal colony in 2024.
- President Putin announced the release during talks with US envoy Steve Witkoff in St Petersburg.
- The diplomatic move coincides with a diesel import deal between Washington and Moscow that strained ties with Ukraine.
Russia has agreed to release 74-year-old American citizen Stephen Hubbard, who was imprisoned on allegations of fighting on behalf of Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the release during talks with US envoy Steve Witkoff in St Petersburg, according to state media reports.
Hubbard, a former teacher originally from Michigan, was sentenced to nearly seven years in a penal colony in 2024. Prosecutors had accused him of serving in a defense unit in the eastern city of Izyum when captured by Russian forces shortly after Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine two years prior.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Writing on social media after Russian state media reported the release, Donald Trump stated that the decision followed a request he made directly to Putin the previous week. The US State Department had previously classified Hubbard as wrongfully detained, and Trump had suggested earlier that his release was imminent.
The release of Stephen Hubbard highlights how high-level personal diplomacy and economic negotiations often intertwine in international relations. The simultaneous discussions over Russian diesel imports demonstrate that energy and economic interests continue to play a critical role in shaping diplomatic outcomes between Washington and Moscow, despite the geopolitical friction it causes with allies like Ukraine.
CBS News, the BBC's US media partner, reported that Hubbard had been in poor health and was expected to be flown to Texas for medical treatment. Russian state media also noted that Witkoff thanked Putin for the release and, on Trump's behalf, for the recent deal struck with Washington regarding Russian diesel imports.
Source: BBC World
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